Article of footwear with an outer element and an inner element

ABSTRACT

In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to an article of footwear. The article of footwear may include an inner element, the inner element having an overfoot portion and an underfoot portion. The article of footwear may further include an outer element at least partially formed by a first knitted component, the outer element covering the throat area of the inner element. The article of footwear may further include a fastening element secured to the inner element in a throat area, where the fastening element is located between the inner element and the outer element, and where adjustment of the fastening element adjusts the fit of the inner element when the article of footwear is in use. The article of footwear may further include a sole structure, where the sole structure at least partially covers the underfoot portion of the inner element.

BACKGROUND

Conventional articles of footwear generally include two primaryelements: an upper and a sole structure. The upper is generally securedto the sole structure and may form a void within the article of footwearfor comfortably and securely receiving a foot. The sole structure isgenerally secured to a lower surface of the upper so as to be positionedbetween the upper and the ground. In some articles of athletic footwear,for example, the sole structure may include a midsole and an outsole.The midsole may be formed from a polymer foam material that attenuatesground reaction forces to lessen stresses upon the foot and leg duringwalking, running, and other ambulatory activities. The outsole may besecured to a lower surface of the midsole and may form a ground-engagingportion of the sole structure that is formed from a durable andwear-resistant material.

The upper of the article of footwear generally extends over the instepand toe areas of the foot, along the medial and lateral sides of thefoot, and around the heel area of the foot and in some instances underthe foot. Access to the void in the interior of the upper is generallyprovided by an ankle opening in and/or adjacent to a heel region of thefootwear. A lacing system is often incorporated into the upper to adjustthe fit of the upper, thereby facilitating entry and removal of the footfrom the void within the upper. In addition, the upper may include atongue that extends under the lacing system to enhance adjustability ofthe footwear, and the upper may incorporate other structures such as,for example, a heel counter to provide support and limit movement of theheel.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to an article of footwear.The article of footwear may include an inner element, the inner elementhaving an overfoot portion and an underfoot portion. The article offootwear may further include an outer element at least partially formedby a first knitted component, the outer element covering the throat areaof the inner element. The article of footwear may further include afastening element secured to the inner element in a throat area, wherethe fastening element is located between the inner element and the outerelement, and where adjustment of the fastening element adjusts the fitof the inner element when the article of footwear is in use. The articleof footwear may further include a sole structure, where the solestructure at least partially covers the underfoot portion of the innerelement.

In another aspect, the present disclosure related to another embodimentof an article of footwear. The article of footwear may include a firstknitted component defining an outer element, the outer element formingan outer surface of the article of footwear in a throat area, and thefirst outer element extending from the throat area to a biteline of thearticle of footwear. The article of footwear may further include asecond knitted component defining an inner element, where the innerelement includes a collar surrounding an ankle opening leading to a voidof the article of footwear. The article of footwear may further includea fastening element located in the throat area between the first knittedcomponent and the second knitted component.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method. The methodmay include knitting a first knitted component on a flat knittingmachine, where the first knitted component forms an outer element of anarticle of footwear, the outer element defining an outer surface of thearticle of footwear. The method may further include knitting a secondknitted component on a circular knitting machine, where the secondknitted component forms an inner element of an article of footwear, theinner element defining the void of the article of footwear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments of the present disclosure may be better understood withreference to the following drawings and description. The components inthe figures are not necessarily to scale, with emphasis instead beingplaced upon illustrating the principles of the present disclosure.Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate.

FIG. 1 is an illustration showing an article of footwear with an innerelement and an outer element in accordance with certain aspects of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a knitted component for forming anouter element of an upper in accordance with certain aspects of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an illustration showing an exploded view of the article offootwear depicted in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an illustration showing the article of footwear of FIG. 3 inan assembled state in accordance with certain aspects of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 5 is an illustration showing an exploded view of another embodimentof an article of footwear with an outer element and an inner element inaccordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an illustration showing the article of footwear of FIG. 5 inan assembled state in accordance with certain aspects of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various aspects are described below with reference to the drawings inwhich like elements generally are identified by like numerals. Therelationship and functioning of the various elements of the aspects maybetter be understood by reference to the following detailed description.However, aspects are not limited to those illustrated in the drawings orexplicitly described below. It also should be understood that thedrawings are not necessarily to scale, and in certain instances detailsmay have been omitted that are not necessary for an understanding ofaspects disclosed herein, such as conventional fabrication and assembly.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to uppers configuredfor use in an article of footwear and/or other articles, such asarticles of apparel. When referring to articles of footwear, thedisclosure may describe basketball shoes, running shoes, biking shoes,cross-training shoes, football shoes, golf shoes, hiking shoes andboots, ski and snowboarding boots, soccer shoes, tennis shoes, and/orwalking shoes, as well as footwear styles generally considerednon-athletic, including but not limited to dress shoes, loafers, andsandals.

FIG. 1 is an illustration showing an article of footwear 100 having anupper 102, where the upper 102 includes two primary elements: an outerelement 104 and an inner element 106. As described in more detail below,one or both of the inner element 106 and the outer element 104 may beformed as a textile. While non-textile materials are contemplated foreither of these elements, the outer element 104 and the inner element106 are described as being primarily formed with textile materials inthis disclosure for simplicity of description. The textile(s) may be anysuitable type of textile (e.g., a woven or non-woven textile), and insome embodiments the textile(s) may be formed as a knitted componentthrough the mechanical manipulation of yarns.

As shown, the upper 102 may be secured to a sole structure 108. The areawhere the sole structure 108 joins the upper 102 may be referred to as abiteline 116. The upper 102 may be joined to the sole structure 108 in afixed manner using any suitable technique, such as through the use of anadhesive, by sewing, etc. The sole structure 108 may define the bottomsurface of a void 118 for receiving and accommodating a user's foot. Thevoid 118 may be accessible through an ankle opening 120, which may besurrounded by a collar 122.

The upper 102 may include a lateral side 110 and a medial side 112. Athroat area 114 may be included between the lateral side 110 and themedial side 112, and the throat area 114 may be positioned to cover thetop (dorsal) surface of the foot during typical use. A midfoot area 124of the upper 102 may be located between a heel area 126 and a toe area128. The throat area 114 may be primarily located in the midfoot area124. In some embodiments, an optional tongue may be disposed at leastpartially in the throat area 114. The tongue may be any type of tongue,such as a gusseted tongue or a burrito tongue. If a tongue is notincluded (or in combination with a tongue), the lateral and medial sidesof the throat area 114 may be joined together.

As stated above, at least a portion of the upper 102 may be formed witha knitted component (or another suitable textile component). In thepresent embodiment, the outer element 104 is primarily formed of a firstknitted component 130, and the inner element 106 is primarily formed ofa second knitted component 132. Each of the knitted components 130, 132may be formed as an integral one-piece element during a knittingprocess, such as a weft knitting process (e.g., with a flat knittingmachine or circular knitting machine), a warp knitting process, or anyother suitable knitting process. That is, the knitting process on theknitting machine may substantially form the knit structure of theknitted components without the need for significant post-knittingprocesses or steps. Alternatively, two or more portions of at least oneof the knitted components 130, 132 may be formed separately as distinctintegral one-piece elements and then the respective elements attached(e.g., via sewing).

Forming the outer element 104 and the inner element 106 with therespective knitted components 130, 132 may provide the outer element 104and the inner element 106 with advantageous characteristics including,but not limited to, a particular degree of elasticity (for example, asexpressed in terms of Young's modulus), breathability, bendability,strength, moisture absorption, weight, abrasion resistance, and/or acombination thereof. These characteristics may be accomplished byselecting a particular single layer or multi-layer knit structure (e.g.,a ribbed knit structure, a single jersey knit structure, or a doublejersey knit structure), by varying the size and tension of the knitstructure, by using one or more yarns formed of a particular material(e.g., a polyester material, a relatively inelastic material, or arelatively elastic material such as spandex), by selecting yarns of aparticular size (e.g., denier), and/or a combination thereof. The weightof the upper 102, and thus the overall weight of the article of footwear100, may be reduced with respect to alternative components typicallyused in footwear. The knitted components 130, 132 (and particularly thefirst knitted component 130 of the exposed outer element 104) may alsoprovide desirable aesthetic characteristics by incorporating yarnshaving different colors, textures or other visual properties arranged ina particular pattern. The yarns themselves and/or the knit structureformed by one or more of the yarns of the knitted components may bevaried at different locations to provide different knit portions withdifferent properties (e.g., a portion forming the throat area 114 of thefirst knitted component 130 may be relatively elastic while a portionforming the heel area 126 or another area may be relatively inelastic).

In some embodiments, the first knitted component 130 and/or the secondknitted component 132 may incorporate one or more materials withproperties that change in response to a stimulus (e.g., temperature,moisture, electrical current, magnetic field, or light). For example, asdescribed in more detail below, the first knitted component 130 mayinclude yarns formed of a thermoplastic polymer material (e.g., apolyurethane, polyamide, polyolefin, and/or nylon) that transitions froma solid state to a softened or liquid state when subjected to certaintemperatures at or above its melting point and then transitions back tothe solid state when cooled. The thermoplastic polymer material mayprovide the ability to heat and then cool a portion of the first knittedcomponent 130 to thereby form an area of bonded or continuous material(herein referred to as a “fused area”) that exhibits certainadvantageous properties including a relatively high degree of rigidity,strength, and water resistance, for example. Similar materials andprocesses could be used when forming the second knitted component 132.

FIG. 2 is an illustration showing the first knitted component 130 (i.e.,forming the outer element 104 of FIG. 1) as may appear after formationon a knitting machine, but before being folded or otherwise orientedinto a wearable shape. To form the first knitted component 130 into awearable shape, a lateral heel portion 136 and a medial heel portion 138may be joined (e.g., via sewing), which may occur before, during, orafter attachment of the first knitted component 130 with anothercomponent of the article of footwear (and potential with the assistanceof a foot-shaped last). Other shapes of the first knitted component 130are also completed. For example, in some embodiments, one of the lateralheel portion 136 and medial heel portion 138 may wrap all the way aroundthe heel and join to another edge of the first knitted component 130 onthe opposite respective side (e.g., the medial heel portion 138 may beabsent, and the lateral heel portion 136 may wrap around and join on themedial side). Any other suitable shape and folding/shaping method may beused.

The first knitted component 130 may be formed as a continuous andintegral one-piece element using any suitable knitting process. Incertain non-limiting exemplary embodiments, the first knitted component130 if formed using a flat-knitting process (e.g., through weft or warpknitting on a multi-bed flat knitting machine). In this disclosure, aknit structure formed on a flat knitting machine is referred to as a“flat-knit structure.” One skilled in the art can typically detect aflat-knit structure upon examination of the structural characteristicsof a sample.

In particular, it may be advantageous to form the first knittedcomponent 130 on a flat knitting machine with two needle beds, therebyenhancing the capability of forming complex knit structures withdesirable characteristics. For example, a two-bed flat knitting machinemay be able to create a variety of double-jersey knit structuresproviding a variety of characteristics. Herein, a “double jersey knitstructure” is defined generally as any knit structure formed on twoneedle beds and utilizing at least one needle from each bed, including(but not limited to) a full rib knit structure, a 1×1, 2×1, and 3×1 ribstructure, an interlock knit structure, a half and full cardigan knitstructure, a half and full milano structure, etc. In one exemplaryembodiment, a double jersey full interlock structure may be used, whichmay provide the first knitted component 130 with a relatively lowelasticity when compared to certain other knitted components,particularly when the first knitted component 130 is formed with yarnsthat are relatively rigid/inelastic.

Forming the first knitted component 130 on a two-bed flat knittingmachine may also allow for the incorporation of certain features thatare more difficult or impossible to achieve on other types of machines.For example, the first knitted component 130 may be formed with inlaidcomponents, such as inlaid tensile strands for increasing rigidity asdescribed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0359290, U.S.Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0237861, and U.S. Pat. No.9,145,629, which are incorporated into the present application in theirentirety. Additionally or alternatively, the flat knitting machine mayprovide the ability to form the first knitted component with amulti-layer knit structure such that an outer surface of the firstknitted component 130 has different characteristics than its innersurface. One example is that the outer surface 140 of the first knittedcomponent 130 may include a fused area formed by heat-processed yarnsincluding at least one thermoplastic polymer material, such asthermoplastic polyurethane, while an inner surface is formed of a softermaterial (such as a polyester). Similar features and several relatedadvantages are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No.2017/0245582, which is incorporated into the present application in itsentirety. Using a two-bed flatting knitting machine may also provide theability to form the first knitted component 130 with complex visualpatterns and other visual affects due to the types of double-jersey andother knit structures available, which is particularly desirable sincethe first knitted component 130 may form the outer, visible surface ofthe article of footwear.

In some embodiments, different zones of the first knitted component 130may have different characteristics. The different characteristics may beprovided by using different knit structures, different yarn types, byprocessing the zones differently after knitting (e.g., by heatprocessing some zones and not others), or a combination thereof. Forexample, a first zone 142 located in the throat area 114 and/or thecollar 122 may be highly elastic due to the use of an elastic knitstructure and/or the use of a relatively elastic yarn. Advantageously,the first knitted component 130 may be capable of stretching in adesirable manner around the top (dorsal) surface of the foot to providea comfortable fit (and, as described below, such that it can stretcharound a fastening system). Other zones may be formed to be lesselastic. For example, a second zone 144 in the heel area 126 of thefirst knitted component 130 may have a relatively low elasticity toprovide structural integrity in the heel area 126. Other areas, such athird zone 146 in the midfoot area 124, may have a different elasticitythan that of the first zone 142 and/or the second zone 144. Relativeelasticities of the zones (and also of different knitted components) maybe determined by applying a known tensile force (e.g., on a tensometer)to the respective zones (or components) and then measuring the degree ofstretch or displacement. For example, when one zone or componentstretches twice as much under as another under the same tensile force(e.g., 20 pounds), it is said to have twice the elasticity.

The zones of the first knitted component 130 may also, or alternatively,vary in certain characteristics other than elasticity. In someembodiments, for example, certain zones may have different surfacecharacteristics than other zones. Referring to FIG. 2, the third zone146 in the midfoot area 124 may be formed with a material providingdesirable grip/friction with a surface of a ball (e.g., a soccer ball).Such a surface may be provided by forming a fused area at the third zone146. One example of a fused area for its desirable surfacecharacteristics is described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser.No. 62/502,362, which is incorporated into this application in itsentirety.

FIG. 3 is an illustration showing an exploded view of the article offootwear 100 depicted in FIG. 1. As shown, the outer element 104 hasbeen folded into a wearable shape (e.g., by securing the medial heelportion 138 to the lateral heel portion 136 at a seam 148), but it isnoted that the shaping procedure does not necessarily have to becompleted prior to assembling the first knitted component 130 with thesecond knitted component 132. In some embodiments, the thread (or otherobject) used to form the seam 148 may additionally secure to the secondknitted component 132 in the heel area 126, thus providing a point ofconnection between the first knitted component 130 and the secondknitted component 132. Other connections between the first knittedcomponent 130 and the second knitted component 132 are alsocontemplated, and in some embodiments, they may not be directlyconnected at all (e.g. where the first knitted component 130 and/or thesecond knitted component 132 is removable, or where they are indirectlyconnected through the sole structure 108, for example).

The first knitted component 130 and the second knitted component 132 maybe formed separately using different knit processes. For example, thefirst knitted component 130 may be formed on a flat knitting machine(which is described in more detail above with reference to FIG. 2),while the second knitted component 132 may be formed on a circularknitting machine (as described in more detail below). Advantageously,and particularly when a relatively rigid double jersey structure is usedto form the first knitted component 130, at least one area of the firstknitted component 130 may be less elastic than an area of the secondknitted component 132. Further, on average, the entirety of the firstknitted component 130 may be less elastic than the entirety of thesecond knitted component 132 in at least one direction (and potentiallyall directions). This may be advantageous for providing an elastic andsoft inner element 106 may be better suited for contact with a user'sfoot (e.g., due to comfort), while also providing a relatively rigid andprotective outer element 104.

The second knitted component 132 may include an overfoot portion 150 andan underfoot portion 152. The underfoot portion 152 may be located onthe bottom side of the second knitted component 132 (e.g., when thearticle of footwear 100 is placed on the ground in a typicalorientation), and therefore the underfoot portion 152 may be associatedwith a plantar aspect of the foot (also known as the sole or bottom ofthe foot). In some embodiments, the underfoot portion 152 of the secondknitted component 132 may contact the foot (or sock) of a wearer whenthe foot is placed in the void, and thus it is contemplated that thematerials and knit structure used to form the underfoot portion 152 maybe selected for softness, compliability, elasticity, and othercharacteristics associated with comfort. In other embodiments, asecondary element (such as a cushioning insert) may be placed on top ofthe underfoot portion 152. The second knitted component 132 may alsoinclude an overfoot portion 150 on its top side, where the overfootportion 150 is associated with the dorsal surface of the foot (alsoknown as the foot's top surface). Thus, a single course in the forefootportion 153 of the second knitted component 132 may wrap completelyaround the perimeter of a user's forefoot.

The circular/tubular structure of the second knitted component 132 maybe accomplished by knitting the second knitted component 132 using acircular knitting machine. A circular knitting machine may have aplurality of needles arranged in a circular pattern such that, as a yarnfeeder moves around the circular pattern as it feeds yarn to theneedless, the circular knitting machine forms a tubular structure havinga perimeter surrounding a void (which may correspond with the void 118surrounded by the second knitted component 132). Without limitation,specific examples of knitting processes that may be used on a circularknitting machine include wide tube circular knitting, narrow tubecircular knitting, narrow tube circular knit jacquard, single knitcircular knit jacquard, double knit circular knit jacquard, and thelike. It is contemplated that certain circular-knitting machines may beable to form knit structures similar to the double-jersey structuresdescribed above, but not all circular knitting machines are capable offorming double-jersey structures. Herein, when a circular knittingmachine is used to form a knit structure, that knit structure isreferred to as a “circular-knit structure.” A circular-knit structurecan typically be recognized by one skilled in the art upon examinationof the structure of the sample.

Any one of the above-described circular-processes (or other suitablecircular-knit processes), or a combination of more than one, can be usedto form the second knitted component 132. If the second knittedcomponent 132 is initially formed as a tubular structure with two openends, one end can be closed by forming a seam 148 (e.g., by sewing,using an adhesive, etc.). The other opening may be left open to form theankle opening 120 to provide access to the void 118.

As shown in FIG. 3, the article of footwear 100 may include a fasteningsystem 154 secured to the inner element 106. The fastening system 154may be located in the throat area 114 of the inner element 106, asdepicted. Any suitable type of fastening system may be used, such as thedepicted lace 157 (i.e., a shoelace), a cable-tensioning system (shownin FIGS. 5-6), and/or any other suitable device. The fastening system154 may be adjustable such that it pulls the inner element 106 aroundthe foot when tightened, thus securing the foot in the void 118 andproviding a comfortable fit.

The inner element 106 may include a set of openings 156 for receivingthe fastening system, but other suitable element(s) may alternatively beused. The openings 156 may be formed through any suitable process. Insome embodiments, a piece of the second knitted component 132 may be cutaway, punched away, or otherwise removed to form the openings 156 afterthe knitting process. In other embodiments, the openings 156 may beformed by a particular knit structure of the second knitted component132. For example, during a knitting process on a knitting machine withat least one needle bed, one or more of needles of the needle bed(s) maybe skipped while forming certain courses such that a void is formed, andthat void may eventually define the openings 156. Other suitable knitstructures may additionally or alternatively be used to form theopenings 156. When the openings 156 are formed by particular knitstructures rather than by removing a portion of the second knittedcomponent 132 through cutting, punching, or another method, the openings156 are said to be “knit-formed” in this disclosure. While not shown,the outer element 104 may also have openings to provide a user withadditional access to the fastening system 154.

Still referring to FIG. 3, the sole structure 108 may include anoptional midsole 158 and an outsole 160, but any other sole structure iscontemplated. The outer element 104 may secure to the sole structure ata biteline 116 through sewing, using an adhesive, or by any othersuitable device or method. The inner element 106 may secure at thebiteline 116 and/or the top surface 161 of the sole structure 108 (andit is noted that the top surface 161 does not have to be a top surfaceof a midsole 158, but could alternatively be a surface of another solestructure component). For example, in some embodiments, to achieve ahigh degree of direct contact and engagement, a substantial portion ofthe underfoot portion 152 may be adhered to the to surface 161 of thesole structure 108 using an adhesive. It other embodiments, it may beadvantageous for at least one area of the underfoot portion 152 toremain free (e.g., movable) with respect to the top surface of the solestructure 108 to reduce friction between the sole structure 108 and thefoot of user. While not shown, additional elements (e.g., cushioningelements) may be placed between the underfoot portion 152 and the solestructure 108, and/or between the overfoot portion 150 and the outerelement 104.

FIG. 4 is an illustration showing the article of footwear 100 anassembled or wearable state. The outer element 104 is shown astransparent in FIG. 4 for purposes of illustration. As depicted, theouter element 104 may cover the fastening system 154. That is, thefastening system 154 may be between the outer element 104 and the innerelement 106. Advantageously, the fastening system 154 may not interferewith or otherwise affect the characteristics of the outer surface 140 ofthe article of footwear 100. This may be particularly advantageous wherethe outer element 104 is given surface characteristics for a particularactivity (e.g., for kicking a ball). For example, when the article offootwear 100 is a shoe designed for playing soccer, a user mayadvantageously have an outer surface 140 that has desirablecharacteristics for making contact with a soccer ball even at the throatarea 114. Additionally or alternatively, the fastening system 154 may beprotected by the outer element 104 to prevent an unintentional release(e.g., due to the loosening or releasing of a knot of a shoelace). Thisfeature may make the present embodiments suitable for situations whereretaining tightness and/or a proper fit is of high importance (e.g.,when the article of footwear 100 is used in a manufacturing orconstruction environment).

FIG. 5 is an illustration showing an exploded view of another embodimentof an article of footwear 200. The article of footwear 200 is similar tothe article of footwear 100 describe above, but the fastening system 254is different. As shown, the fastening system 254 may be a cabletensioning system having a cable 262 (which may be any suitableelongated portion of material, and may be similar or identical to thelace 157 described above with reference to FIG. 3). The cable 262 may bedeployed through the openings 256 of the inner element 206. Whentightening the fastening system 254, the cable may be pulled tight, anda fastener 264 may be used to lock in the tension. The fastener 264 mayhave a button, switch, or other activator such that the user can selectwhether it's in a locked or unlocked state. To lock in the tension, thefastener may be moved towards the inner element 206 and then locked at aparticular location relative to the cable 262 (e.g., such that it isfixed with respect to the cable 262 when locked). To loosen thefastening system 254, the fastener may be moved away from the innerelement 206 along the cable 262.

This embodiment may be particularly advantageous because it does notrequire a lot of space (and thus it can fit easily between the outerelement 204 and the inner element 206 without creating too much bulk),and because it is relatively easy to adjust (thus decreasing the impactof interference during fastening due to hand-contact with the outerelement 204). For example, one of the user's hands could be used to pullaway on outer element 204 to create space, and the other of the user'shands could reach into the space to adjust the fastening system 254.Other suitable fastening systems are also contemplated.

FIG. 6 is an illustration showing the article of footwear 200 of FIG. 5in an assembled or wearable state. As shown, the fastening system 254may be fully or substantially covered. The fastening system 254 isdepicted as extending beyond the outer element 204, but in otherembodiments, the cable 262 may be too short to extend that far. Asexplained above, the outer element 204 may have different zones withdifferent characteristics. Focusing on the first zone 242, it may beadvantageous for the first zone 242 to have a relatively high elasticity(at least when compared to other zones of the outer element 204) toenhance a user's access to the fastening system 254. For example, thefirst zone 242 (which may be in the throat area 214) may be deformedwhen a user pulls on a tongue portion 266 to separate the outer element204 from the inner element 206, thus providing room or space foroperating the fastening system 254.

All of the structures and methods disclosed and claimed herein can bemade and executed without undue experimentation in light of the presentdisclosure. While this disclosure may be embodied in many differentforms, there are described in detail herein specific aspects of thedisclosure. The present disclosure is an exemplification of theprinciples of the disclosure and is not intended to limit the disclosureto the particular aspects illustrated. In addition, unless expresslystated to the contrary, use of the term “a” is intended to include “atleast one” or “one or more.” For example, “a yarn” is intended toinclude “at least one yarn” or “one or more yarns.”

Any ranges given either in absolute terms or in approximate terms areintended to encompass both, and any definitions used herein are intendedto be clarifying and not limiting. Notwithstanding that the numericalranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the disclosureare approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specificexamples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value,however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting fromthe standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements.Moreover, all ranges disclosed herein are to be understood to encompassany and all subranges (including all fractional and whole values)subsumed therein.

Furthermore, the disclosure encompasses any and all possiblecombinations of some or all of the various aspects described herein. Itshould also be understood that various changes and modifications to theaspects described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art.Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the disclosure and without diminishing its intendedadvantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modificationsbe covered by the appended claims.

We claim:
 1. An article of footwear, the article of footwear comprising:an inner element, the inner element having an overfoot portion and anunderfoot portion, the overfoot portion having a throat area; an outerelement at least partially formed by a first knitted component, theouter element covering the throat area of the inner element; a fasteningsystem secured to the inner element in a throat area, wherein thefastening system is located between the inner element and the outerelement, and wherein adjustment of the fastening system adjusts the fitof the inner element when the article of footwear is in use; and a solestructure, wherein the sole structure at least partially covers theunderfoot portion of the inner element.
 2. The article of footwear ofclaim 1, wherein the inner element includes a second knitted componentwith a circular-knit structure.
 3. The article of footwear of claim 2,wherein a course of the circular-knit structure extends entirely arounda perimeter of a forefoot area of the inner element.
 4. The article offootwear of claim 1, wherein a first zone of the first knitted componenthas a first elasticity, wherein a second zone of the first knittedcomponent has a second elasticity, wherein the first elasticity isgreater than the second elasticity, and wherein the first zone islocated in the throat area of the article of footwear.
 5. The article offootwear of claim 1, wherein the fastening system includes a cablesecured to the inner element and a fastener that is slidable along thecable in an unlocked state.
 6. The article of footwear of claim 1,wherein the underfoot portion of the inner element contacts a topsurface of the sole structure.
 7. The article of footwear of claim 1,wherein the inner element includes a plurality of openings for securingto the fastening system.
 8. The article of footwear of claim 7, whereinthe openings are knit-formed openings.
 9. The article of footwear ofclaim 1, wherein the outer element extends from the throat area to abiteline of the article of footwear.
 10. An article of footwear, thearticle of footwear comprising: a first knitted component defining anouter element, the outer element forming an outer surface of the articleof footwear in a throat area, and the outer element extending from thethroat area to a biteline of the article of footwear; a second knittedcomponent defining an inner element, wherein the inner element includesa collar surrounding an ankle opening leading to a void of the articleof footwear; and a fastening system located in the throat area betweenthe first knitted component and the second knitted component.
 11. Thearticle of footwear of claim 10, wherein a course of the second knittedcomponent extends entirely around a perimeter in a forefoot area of theinner element.
 12. The article of footwear of claim 10, wherein a firstzone of the first knitted component has a first elasticity, wherein asecond zone of the first knitted component has a second elasticity,wherein the first elasticity is greater than the second elasticity, andwherein the first zone is located in the throat area of the article offootwear.
 13. The article of footwear of claim 10, wherein the fasteningsystem includes a cable secured to the inner element and a fastener thatis slidable along the cable in an unlocked state.
 14. The article offootwear of claim 10, wherein the second knitted component includes anoverfoot portion and an underfoot portion.
 15. The article of footwearof claim 14, wherein the underfoot portion of the second knittedcomponent contacts a top surface of a sole structure.
 16. The article offootwear of claim 10, wherein the inner element includes a plurality ofopenings for securing to the fastening system.
 17. The article offootwear of claim 16, wherein the openings are knit-formed openings. 18.The article of footwear of claim 10, wherein an average elasticity ofthe first knitted component is less than an average elasticity of thesecond knitted component.
 19. A method comprising: knitting a firstknitted component on a flat knitting machine, wherein the first knittedcomponent forms an outer element of an article of footwear, the outerelement defining an outer surface of the article of footwear; andknitting a second knitted component on a circular knitting machine,wherein the second knitted component forms an inner element of anarticle of footwear, the inner element defining a void of the article offootwear.
 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: securing afastening system to the second knitted component in a throat area, andcovering the fastening system with the first knitted component.